Shorttakes

 

Well, this update is LONG overdue.  I guess that is the best description.  I promise not to apologize ad nauseum, but please let me say it here: I am so sorry that I have been completely out of touch this summer & fall.

I know I'm not generally one to keep everything to myself & roll blithely along, but on the other hand, I hate putting my challenges out for everyone to see.  Mainly because I don't want to sound like "ooooohhh....poor little me...".

However, things in my world are definitely affecting my time at the shop & the things I want to do for you stitchers, and at the very least I want to give you an explanation of where I've been since I've been radio silent.

 

As most of y'all know, my mom fell in April & spend 3+ weeks in the hospital as they worked to determine how to manage her severe drop in blood pressure whenever she would stand.  She then "graduated" to rehab for 2+ weeks.  She was home for about 2 months, adjusting to new realities, with me on hand as much as possible.  Unfortunately, at the beginning of August she fell again, this time injuring her hip.  Off to the ER again.  This kicked off a still-ongoing cycle of hospital/rehab/catch pneumonia so back to the hospital/fell somewhere along the line & broke a bone in her leg/surgery Labor Day weekend/hospital/rehab/back to hospital MORE pneumonia/back to rehab/discharged (against the advice of therapists & medical staff ~ thanks insurance company)/home less than 24 hours/fell/broke a bone in her shoulder/back to hospital/back to rehab!  Which is where we currently stand ~ mom in rehab, but not being able to do much PT as her shoulder is immobilized.

At first, when people would ask how things are going, I would say, "I'm tired of this roller coaster.  I want off."  Then I felt more like we were on one of those Whip rides.  But I've decided (in sticking with the carnival theme) I'm actually playing Whac-A-Mole.  And I'm the mole.  Each time I pop my head out thinking, "maybe....maybe we're settling down..." ~ WHACK!  When I'm at work, I'm just waiting for the phone to ring with the latest event.  When I'm with mom, I'm cataloging all the things I haven't gotten done here at the shop.  When I'm at home, I'm curled up in a ball waiting for the anxiety to ease up, just a little, so I can eat (& retain) something & maybe get some sleep. 

 

All of this is to say, please don't give up on us.  Connie, Therese, Tracy & Cindy have been wonderful trying to help with things you're looking for, Therese has been finishing projects for y'all like crazy, we had 2 AMAZING Trunk Shows & that is all down to them.

 

I am working feverishly to reconfigure my approach & get things moving more smoothly.  I'm getting my feet back under me slowly.  I'd like to say I've got everything back on track, but if this year has taught me anything, it's to not assume you have a clue what tomorrow will hold.  I'm truly living the "hope for the best, plan for the worst" mantra. And just to prove the point, I'm sending this off to you while battling a stomach bug ~ I mean, REALLY??  Is that necessary????  Hopefully it's a 24 hour thing, but a stomach bug on top of the stress & anxiety mess in my system just seems a little MEAN!! 

 

Anyway, I just wanted to take a minute & let you know why the heck you haven't heard from me in FOREVER!!  The shop is most definitely open, and your visits are sometimes (okay, most of the time!) the best part of my day.  The hugs & conversations assure me that I'm not going crazy (yet). 

 

I promise there are great new things to show you, new models on the wall, and all the best stitching!  And I'm eager to show it to you.  So thank you a thousand times over for your incredible patience & cheer!

 

Hugs & stitches ~

Beth & all the gang at TSS